The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin: Consisting of Essays, Humorous, Moral, and Literary, with His Life |
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Page 10
... perhaps , by this employment , gratify my vanity . Scarcely , indeed , have I ever heard or read the introductory phrase , ' I may say without vanity , ' but some striking and characteristic instance of vanity has immediately followed ...
... perhaps , by this employment , gratify my vanity . Scarcely , indeed , have I ever heard or read the introductory phrase , ' I may say without vanity , ' but some striking and characteristic instance of vanity has immediately followed ...
Page 14
... perhaps , for his situation . I lately found in London a col- lection which he had made of all the principal pam- phlets relative to public affairs , from the year 1641 to 1717. Many volumes are wanting , as appears by the series of ...
... perhaps , for his situation . I lately found in London a col- lection which he had made of all the principal pam- phlets relative to public affairs , from the year 1641 to 1717. Many volumes are wanting , as appears by the series of ...
Page 19
... perhaps , be uninteresting to you to know what sort of a man my father was . He had an excellent constitution , was of a middle size , but well - made and strong , and extremely active in what- ever he undertook . He designed with a ...
... perhaps , be uninteresting to you to know what sort of a man my father was . He had an excellent constitution , was of a middle size , but well - made and strong , and extremely active in what- ever he undertook . He designed with a ...
Page 21
... perhaps , the name of negligence . About To return , I thus continued employed in my fa- ther's trade for the space of two years ; that is to say , till I arrived at twelve years of age . this time , my brother John , who had served his ...
... perhaps , the name of negligence . About To return , I thus continued employed in my fa- ther's trade for the space of two years ; that is to say , till I arrived at twelve years of age . this time , my brother John , who had served his ...
Page 22
... Projects , from which , perhaps , I derived impressions that have since in- fluenced some of the principal events of my life . My inclination for books at last determined my father to make me a printer , though he had 22 THE LIFE OF.
... Projects , from which , perhaps , I derived impressions that have since in- fluenced some of the principal events of my life . My inclination for books at last determined my father to make me a printer , though he had 22 THE LIFE OF.
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able acquaintance advantage agreeable America appeared apprentice arrived articles of confederation Assembly Boston Britain brother called citizens colonies continued debt desire electricity employed endeavoured engaged England English established Europe experiments father favour Franklin friends gave give Governor honour improve inconvenience industry inhabitants Keimer labour land laws learned letters liberty Little Britain lived lodging Madeira wine manner master means ment nation never obliged observed obtained occasion opinion paper Pennsylvania perhaps persons Philadelphia philosophers pleasure poor Richard says pounds pounds sterling power of points present printer printing printing-house procure produced proposed province province of Pennsylvania Ralph received respect shillings Sir William Wyndham soon Stephen Potts thing Thomas Penn thought tion took town trade tricity uncle Benjamin wished words young
Popular passages
Page 274 - ... for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost;" being overtaken and slain by the enemy; all for the want of a little care about a horseshoe nail!
Page 156 - The Body Of Benjamin Franklin, Printer, (Like the cover of an old book, Its contents torn out, And stript of its lettering and gilding,) Lies here, food for worms. But the work shall not be lost, For it will, as he believed, appear once more, In a new and more elegant edition, Revised and corrected By THE AUTHOR.
Page 271 - Key is always bright, as Poor Richard says. But dost thou love Life, then do not squander Time, for that's the Stuff Life is made of, as Poor Richard says. — How much more than is necessary do we spend in Sleep! forgetting that The sleeping Fox catches no Poultry, and that there will be sleeping enough in the Grave, as Poor Richard says.
Page 273 - And again, Three removes are as bad as a fire ; and again, Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee ; and again, If you would have your business done, go ; if not, send. And again, — He that by the plough would thrive, Himself must either hold or drive.
Page 277 - Pride breakfasted with Plenty, dined with Poverty, and supped with Infamy. And after all, of what Use is this Pride of Appearance, for which so much is risked, so much is suffered? It cannot promote Health, or ease Pain; it makes no Increase of Merit in the Person, it creates Envy, it hastens Misfortune.
Page 270 - Ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our Idleness, three times as much by our Pride, and four times as much by our Folly; and from these Taxes the Commissioners cannot ease or deliver us by allowing an Abatement. However let us hearken to good Advice, and something may be done for us; God helps them that help themselves, as Poor Richard says, in his Almanack of 1733.
Page 276 - If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some; for, he that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing; and indeed so does he that lends to such people, when he goes to get it in again.
Page 274 - A fat Kitchen makes a lean Will, as Poor Richard says; and Many Estates are spent in the Getting, Since Women for Tea forsook Spinning and Knitting, And Men for Punch forsook Hewing and Splitting.
Page 280 - I had made of the sense of all ages and nations. However, I resolved to be the better for the echo of it, and though I had at first determined to buy stuff for a new coat, I went away resolved to wear my old one a little longer. Reader, if thou wilt do the same, thy profit will be as great as mine.
Page 271 - He that hath a trade hath an estate; and he that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor'; but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling well followed, or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious, we shall never starve; for, as Poor Richard says, 'At the workingman's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.